All The Claims

1. A dilator for use in connection with a sheath, the dilator comprising:
an elongate main body extending from a proximal end of the dilator to a distal end of the dilator, the elongate main body comprising:
a proximal portion extending longitudinally from the proximal end of the dilator; and
a distal portion directly adjacent to and extending longitudinally from a distal end of the proximal portion of the elongate main body to the distal end the dilator;

a lumen disposed within and extending longitudinally along an entire length of the elongate main body; and
a slot extending from the lumen through a sidewall of the elongate main body, the slot extending longitudinally in a proximal direction from a proximal end of the distal portion of the dilator along the remaining length of the dilator;
wherein a lumen wall along the distal portion forms a continuous and unbroken ring.
2. The dilator of claim 1, wherein the distal portion dilator comprises a non-tapering cylindrical portion.
3. The dilator of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion is longer than the distal portion.
4. The dilator of claim 1, wherein the dilator is formed of a material having a durometer hardness of greater than 50 on the Shore D scale.
5. The dilator claim 1, wherein the dilator is configured to extend at least 10 cm beyond a distal end of a sheath.
6. The dilator of claim 5, wherein the dilator is formed of a material having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to 45 on the Shore D scale.
7. The dilator of claim 5, wherein the dilator includes a non-tapering cylindrical portion that is situated distal to a tapered portion of the dilator.
8. The dilator of claim 7, wherein the non-tapering cylindrical portion is at least 3 cm in length.
9. The dilator of claim 7, wherein the non-tapering cylindrical portion has a sidewall thickness of less than 0.010 inches.
10. The dilator of claim 7, wherein the tapered portion adjacent the non-tapering cylindrical portion has a length that is longer than the length of the non-tapering cylindrical portion.
11. The dilator of claim 10, wherein the tapered portion is at least 10 cm in length.
12. The dilator of claim 1, wherein the slot is configured to facilitate decoupling of the dilator from a guidewire that is disposed within the lumen of the dilator.
13. The dilator of claim 1, wherein the dilator is configured to allow a first portion of a guidewire disposed within the lumen of the dilator to be extracted from the lumen of the dilator through the slot while a practitioner maintains secure contact with a second portion of the guidewire that is proximal to the first portion.
14. A sheath assembly, comprising:
an elongate sheath;
an entry dilator comprising:
an elongate main body extending from a proximal end of the entry dilator to a distal end of the entry dilator, the elongate main body comprising:
a proximal portion extending longitudinally from the proximal end of the entry dilator; and
a distal portion directly adjacent to and extending longitudinally from a distal end of the proximal portion of the elongate main body to the distal end of the entry dilator;

a lumen disposed within the elongate main body, the lumen defining a distal opening at the distal end of the elongate main body; and
a slot extending from the lumen through a sidewall of the entry dilator, the slot extending longitudinally in a proximal direction from the proximal end of the distal portion of the entry dilator along the remaining length of the entry dilator;
wherein a lumen wall along the distal portion forms a continuous and unbroken ring; and

a tracking dilator comprising:
an elongate main body extending from a proximal end of the tracking dilator to a distal end of the tracking dilator, the elongate main body comprising:
a proximal portion extending longitudinally from the proximal end of the tracking dilator; and
a distal portion directly adjacent to and extending longitudinally from a distal end of the proximal portion of the elongate main body to the distal end of the tracking dilator;

a lumen disposed within the elongate main body, the lumen defining a distal opening at the distal end of the elongate main body; and
a slot extending from the lumen through a sidewall of the tracking dilator, the slot extending longitudinally in a proximal direction from a proximal end of the distal portion of the tracking dilator along the remaining length of the tracking dilator;
wherein a lumen wall along the distal portion forms a continuous and unbroken ring; and
wherein the distal portion of the tracking dilator comprises a non-tapering cylindrical portion.
15. The sheath assembly of claim 14, further comprising a third dilator, the third dilator comprising:
an elongate main body defining a distal end and a proximal end; and
a lumen positioned within the elongate main body, the lumen defining a distal opening at the distal end of the elongate main body;
a non-tapering cylindrical portion adjacent the distal end of the elongate main body; and
a tapered portion proximal of and adjacent to the non-tapering cylindrical portion;
wherein the third dilator is formed of a material having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to 45 on the Shore D scale.
16. The sheath assembly of claim 14, wherein the entry dilator is configured to allow a first portion of a guidewire disposed within the lumen of the entry dilator to be extracted from the lumen of the entry dilator through the slot of the entry dilator while a practitioner maintains secure contact with a second portion of the guidewire that is proximal of the first portion of the guidewire.
17. A dilator for use in connection with a sheath, the dilator comprising:
an elongate main body defining a distal end and a proximal end;
a lumen disposed within main body;
a slot extending from the lumen through a sidewall of the elongate main body, the slot extending longitudinally in a proximal direction from a proximal end of a distal portion of the dilator along the remaining length of the dilator;
wherein a lumen wall along the distal portion forms a continuous and unbroken ring.
18. The dilator of claim 17, wherein the distal portion dilator comprises a non-tapering cylindrical portion.
19. The dilator of claim 18, wherein the non-tapering cylindrical portion is disposed distal to a tapered portion of the dilator.
20. The dilator of claim 19, wherein the tapered portion of the dilator has a length that is longer than the length of the non-tapering cylindrical portion.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A barrier movement operator comprising a motor drive unit having a controller with stored operational software for controlling the movement of a barrier, the controller comprising a communication port connected to an external microprocessor for installing operational software via the communicator port.
2. A barrier movement operator according to claim 1, wherein the external microprocessor is comprised by a personal computer.
3. A barrier movement operator according to claim 1, wherein the external microprocessor is comprised by a personal computing device.
4. A barrier movement operator comprising a first motor drive unit for moving a first barrier, a second motor drive unit for moving a second barrier, each motor drive unit comprising a controller connected to a communication port and a digital data communication medium interconnecting the communications ports of the first and second motor drive units to facilitate digital communication between the first and second motor drive units.
5. A barrier movement operator according to claim 4, wherein the digital data communications medium comprises a digital data bus.
6. A barrier movement operator according to claim 5, comprising a wall console connected to the digital data bus for communication with the first and second motor drive units.
7. A barrier movement operator according to claim 6, comprising an additional wall console connected to the digital data bus.

1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising:
an image display region comprising a plurality of pixels sectioned by a plurality of scanning signal lines and a plurality of video signal lines;
a scanning signal drive circuit formed on at least one side of edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of scanning signal lines;
a plurality of scanning connection lines formed on at least one side of edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, the plurality of scanning connection lines connecting together the scanning signal drive circuit and the plurality of scanning signal lines;
a selection circuit formed so as to be interposed between the plurality of scanning connection lines and the plurality of scanning signal lines, the selection circuit being configured to selectively short-circuit one of a plurality of the scanning signal lines to one of the plurality of scanning connection lines based on a selection signal; and
a plurality of selection signal lines connected to the selection circuit, the plurality of selection signal lines transmitting the selection signal to the selection circuit.
2. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1,
wherein the selection circuit is configured to connect one of the plurality of scanning connection lines to a plurality of the scanning signal lines via thin film transistors (TFTs),
wherein the TFTs are formed for the plurality of the scanning signal lines, respectively, and
wherein the plurality of selection signal lines are connected to gate electrodes of the TFTs.
3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the selection circuit is formed between the image display region and the plurality of scanning connection lines so as to be parallel to the plurality of video signal lines.
4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a selection canceling circuit formed on the other side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, the selection canceling circuit being configured to selectively short-circuit corresponding one of the plurality of scanning signal lines to one of a plurality of selection canceling signal lines based on the selection signal.
5. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4,
wherein the selection canceling circuit is configured to connect the selection canceling signal lines to the plurality of scanning signal lines via TFTs,
wherein the TFTs are formed for the plurality of scanning signal lines, respectively, and
wherein the plurality of selection signal lines are connected to gate electrodes of the TFTs.
6. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4,
wherein the selection circuit and the selection canceling circuit are formed on one side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines,
wherein the selection canceling circuit is formed on the other side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, at a position opposing the selection circuit arranged on the one side, and
wherein the selection circuit is formed on the other side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, at a position opposing the selection canceling circuit arranged on the one side.
7. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 6,
wherein a plurality of the selection circuits and a plurality of the selection canceling circuits are alternatively formed on one side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines,
wherein each of the plurality of the selection canceling circuits is formed on the other side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, at a position opposing each of the plurality of the selection circuits arranged on the one side, and
wherein each of the plurality of the selection circuits is formed on the other side of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, at a position opposing each of the plurality of the selection canceling circuits arranged on the one side.
8. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 4,
wherein the plurality of scanning signal lines are divided into n groups, where n is a natural number of 2 or more,
wherein a number of the plurality of scanning connection lines is 1n of a number of the plurality of scanning signal lines,
wherein the selection signal selects an m-th group of the n groups,
wherein the selection circuit is configured to short-circuit corresponding one of the plurality of scanning connection lines to corresponding one of the plurality of scanning signal lines, which belongs to the m-th group, and
wherein the selection canceling circuit is configured to short-circuit the selection canceling signal line to corresponding one of the plurality of scanning signal lines, which belongs to the (m\u22121)th group,
provided that, when m\u22121 is 0, the selection canceling circuit short-circuits the selection canceling signal line to corresponding one of the plurality of scanning signal lines, which belongs to an n-th group.
9. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing material for bonding an array substrate and a color filter substrate to each other, the sealing material being formed at a position overlapping with the plurality of scanning connection lines and the selection circuit in plan view.
10. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a supply start timing to supply the selection signal to each of the selection signal lines is earlier than a supply start timing to supply a signal voltage corresponding to a pixel value via corresponding one of the plurality of video signal lines to corresponding one of the plurality of pixels, which corresponds to the each of the selection signal lines.
11. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating film interposed between the selection circuit and the selection signal lines,
wherein the selection circuit and the selection signal lines overlap with each other in plan view, and
wherein the selection circuit and the selection signal lines are connected to each other via holes formed through the insulating film.
12. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein a width of corresponding one of the plurality of scanning connection lines, which is connected to corresponding one of the plurality of scanning signal lines located relatively farther from the scanning signal drive circuit, is larger than a width of corresponding one of the plurality of scanning connection lines, which is connected to corresponding one of the plurality of scanning signal lines located relatively closer to the scanning signal drive circuit.
13. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, further comprising a reverse voltage application circuit configured to apply, to the selection circuit, a voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the selection signal during a non-display period in which no image is displayed in the image display region.
14. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the selection circuit is configured to selectively short-circuit one of a plurality of the scanning signal lines to each of the plurality of scanning connection lines during a selection period in which one of a plurality of the selection signal lines is selected by the selection signal.
15. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 14, wherein the scanning signal drive circuit is configured to sequentially output a pulse signal to the each of the plurality of scanning connection lines during the selection period in which one of the plurality of the selection signal lines is selected by the selection signal.
16. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 15,
wherein the plurality of scanning connection lines, the selection circuit, and the selection signal line are arranged on each of both sides of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines, and
wherein the plurality of scanning connection lines are connected to both end portions of each of the plurality of scanning signal lines.
17. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 16, wherein the selection signal is alternately supplied to the selection circuits arranged on the both sides of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines.
18. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 17, further comprising a reverse voltage application circuit configured to apply a voltage having a polarity opposite to a polarity of the selection signal to the selection circuit not supplied with the selection signal among the selection circuits arranged on both sides of the edges of the image display region, which are parallel to the plurality of video signal lines.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An aircraft, comprising:
a fuel tank,
a cockpit space
a passenger cabin space andor a cargo bay,
an On-Board-Inert Gas Generating-System (OBIGGS) unit comprising a device with an OBIGGS inflow port connected to a source of gas mixture, said gas mixture comprising an inert gas component and an outflow port, said OBIGGS unit being adapted to separate said inert gas component out of said source of gas mixture and to provide said inert gas component to said outflow port,
a first connector in fluid connection with said outflow port,
a first gas conduit connecting said first connector to said fuel tank for providing said inert gas component to said fuel tank,
characterized by a second connector in fluid connection with said outflow port
a second gas conduit connecting said second connector to at least one target space selected from the cockpit space, the passenger cabin space, the cargo bay.
2. Aircraft according to claim 1, comprising:
a valve unit interconnecting said OBIGGS unit to said at least one target space,
a fire or smoke sensor positioned for detecting smoke or fire in said target space,
a controller coupled to said valve unit and said fire or smoke sensor, said controller being adapted to open said valve unit upon receipt of a signal from said fire or smoke sensor signalizing fire or smoke, respectively, in said target space.
3. Aircraft according to claim 2, comprising:
a reservoir, in particular a pressure tank, for storing the inert gas component, wherein\u2014said reservoir is connected to said OBIGGS unit for filling said reservoir with said inert gas component and
said reservoir is connected to said valve unit for directing said inert gas component into said target space.
4. Aircraft according to claim 2, comprising:
an oxygen sensor for detecting the oxygen content in the target space, said oxygen sensor being coupled to said controller, wherein said controller is adapted to close the valve unit if a sensor signal of said oxygen sensor signalizes that the oxygen content in said target space is below a predetermined threshold.
5. Aircraft according to claim 4, wherein:
said controller is adapted to open the valve unit if a sensor signal of said oxygen sensor signalizes that the oxygen content in said target space is above a predetermined threshold.
6. Aircraft according to claim 1, comprising:
an On-Board-Oxygen Generating-System (OBOGS) unit comprising a device with an OBOGS inflow port connected to a source of gas mixture, said gas mixture comprising an oxygen component and an oxygen outflow port, said OBOGS unit being adapted to separate said oxygen component out of said gas mixture, to provide said oxygen component to said oxygen outflow port and to provide a remainder of said gas mixture after separation of said oxygen component to a remainder gas outflow port,
wherein said remainder outflow port of said OBOGS unit is connected to said OBIGGS inflow port.
7. Aircraft according to claim 6, comprising:
a compressor interconnected between said remainder outflow port and said OBIGGS inflow port.
8. Aircraft according to claim 1, comprising:
a fuel cell having a gas inlet and an exhaust outlet, wherein said exhaust outlet is connected to the OBIGGS inflow port or the second gas conduit.
9. Fire extinguishing and prevention device for an aircraft, comprising
an On-Board-Inert Gas Generating-System (OBIGGS) unit comprising a device with an OBIGGS inflow port connected to a source of gas mixture, said gas mixture comprising an inert gas component, and an outflow port, said OBIGGS unit being adapted to separate said inert gas component out of said source of gas mixture and to provide said inert gas component to said outflow port,
a first connector or a plurality of first connectors coupled to said outflow port for providing said inert gas component to a fuel tank or a plurality of fuel tanks, respectively, of said aircraft,
characterized by a second connector or a plurality of second connectors coupled to said outflow port for providing said inert gas to at least one space selected from a cockpit space of the aircraft, a passenger cabin space of the aircraft, a cargo bay of the aircraft.
10. Fire extinguishing and prevention device improved by the characteristics of claim 2.
11. Method for preventing and extinguishing a fire on board of an aircraft during flight, comprising:
producing an inert gas in an On-Board-Inert Gas Generating-System (OBIGGS) unit by supplying a gas mixture, said gas mixture comprising an inert gas component to an OBIGGS inflow port, separating said inert gas component from said gas mixture and providing said inert gas component to an outflow port,
directing said inert gas component to a fuel tank of said aircraft
characterized by the step of providing said inert gas to at least one target space selected from a cockpit space, a passenger cabin space andor a cargo bay of the aircraft.
12. Method according to claim 11, wherein a valve unit interconnecting said OBIGGS unit to said at least one target space is opened by a controller upon receipt of a signal from a fire or smoke sensor signalizing fire or smoke, respectively, in said target space
13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the inert gas component is filled from the OBIIGS unit into a reservoir, in particular a pressure tank, and stored therein said inert gas component is directed from said reservoir to said valve unit for directing said inert gas component into said target space.
14. Method according to claim 12, wherein:
the oxygen content in the target space is detected by an oxygen sensor,
the valve unit is closed if a sensor signal of said oxygen sensor signalizes that the oxygen content in said target space is below a predetermined threshold.
15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the valve unit is opened if a sensor signal of said oxygen sensor signalizes that the oxygen content in said target space is above a predetermined threshold.
16. Method according to claim 11, wherein:
oxygen-depleted gas from an On-Board-Oxygen Generating-System (OBOGS) unit andor
exhaust gas from a fuel cell

is directed to said OBIGGS inflow port or to said target space.
17. Use of an on board inert gas generating systems (OBIGGS) unit comprising a an OBIGGS inflow port connected to a source of gas mixture, comprising an inert gas component, and an outflow port, said OBIGGS unit being adapted to separate said inert gas component out of said source of gas mixture and to provide said inert gas component to said outflow port, for directing inert gas via an inert gas fire extinguishing line to a target space selected from a cockpit space, a passenger cabin space and a cargo bay of an aircraft for extinguishing a fire in said target space or preventing a fire to occur in such target space or hindering a fire from spreading out in such target space, wherein said inert gas produced by said OBIGGS unit is preferably further used for filling the ullage in a fuel tank of the aircraft.